Film developing machine



R. L. GEIB FILM DEVELOPING MACHINE Filed Nov. 25, 1935 May- '11, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR POBEQT A. 6515 ATTORNEY May 11, 1937. R. L. GEIB FILM DEVELOPING MACHINE Filed Nov. 25, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Y in 3 M M M m W H mm A 92 w g PM Q l M w Patented May 11, 1937 UNITED STATES FILM DEVELOPING MACHINE Robert Lewis Geib, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor to Warner Brothers Pictures, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application November 25, 1935, Serial No. 51,417

12 Claims.

. desired, through dye-toning and toning baths from whence it is led to a drying compartment where the moisture is removed from the emulsion. The finished film is collected upon reels to be stored or sent to the cutting rooms to be cut and edited.

In automatic film developing machines, the film is continuously run in a helical or spiral fashion through the various consecutive treating solutions mentioned above. Upper and lower sets of rollers are placed in each of the tanks to support the film in elongated loops therearound. Driving means is provided to move the film thru the various tanks and this preferably comprises one set of the supporting rollers, usually the upper set. By so driving a whole set of film supporting rollers, instead of merely one roller or sprocket at the exit of the film from the tank, the tension or strain on the film is materially decreased, thus decreasing the stretch and the tendency of breaking the film as well as a general weakening of the film. However, the film as it passes through the various treating solutions or drying compartments continually changes its length. That is, when traveling through the liquid the film constantly stretches until it reaches a certain limit and while traveling through the drying compartment it shrinks back to its normal length. Due to the fact that a portion of the film which has been in the tank for some time has stretched more than a portion which has just entered the tank, it will be seen that the successive loops of film within the tank will tend to increase in length.

It therefore. becomes an object of the invention to compensate for the stretch or shrinkage of the film and thus maintain the film at a normal tension.

This is accomplished by frictionally driving the individual film rollers of one set so as to allow for slight slippage of each individual roller relative to each other. An adjustment for friction is provided whereby the driving torque applied to each driven roller may be adjusted for different speeds or lengths of film,

Another object of the invention is to facilitate threading and changing of the length-of the film within afilm treating tankr i This is accomplished by providing the film driving rollers with a releasing mechanism whereby they may be uncoupled from their driving means so as to rotate freely. Thus when the film is to be threaded over the various rollers or when the film length is to be changed within the solution the releasing mechanism is operated to allow the rollers to rotate freely so that the film may be passed around the various driven rollers without causing it to slide over the surface of these rollers as it is being adjusted.

A still further object of the invention is to allow the film spool heads, which are provided to support and guide the film within the treating tank, to be raised above the liquid level of the treating tank for threading of film or for cleaning purposes.

This is accomplished by providing stationary guides in the film treating solution along which the film heads are adapted to be guided. The upper driven spool head has a disengageable coupling whereby it may be disengaged from its driving shaft and allowed to be moved upward along the guides idle spool head to be raised above the surface of the treating solution.

Referring more particularly to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation view of a preferred embodiment of my invention and is taken along the line l-l of Fig. 2. v

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the film treating machine and is taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

.Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the upper part of one of the units and is taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view 6-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. .5 is a transverse sectional view of the main drive gear box and, is taken along the line 5-.-5 of Fig.- 3.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the spool head coupling member and is shown in a..disengaged position.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view with parts broken away to show the construction of the frictional film spool drive adjustment.

Fig. 8 is a sectional plan. view ofthe film treat- 55 taken along the line sufllclently to permit the lower of sections 6 and I.

.line II-II of Fig. 1.

More particularly describing the invention, reference is to be had to Figs. 1 and 2 wherein the film treating machine generally indicated at I, comprises a number of separate units identical with eachother, two of' which are shown at 2 and 3. The units 2, 3, etc., are mounted within a 'number of solution tanks 4, 5, etc. These tanks contain the necessary chemical solutions required to process the film. For example, the tank 4 may contain a developing solution, tank 5 a fixing or hypo solution, the next tank (not shown) a rinsing solution, etc. Each of the units 2 and 3 is comprised of a pair Vertical Z-shaped guide members 8, 9, I0, and II form frames for the sections 6 and 1. Cross pieces I2 and I3 are provided at the upper ends of the members 8, 9, I0, and II. The lower ends of the guide members 8 to II, inclusive, are attached to a cross piece I4. The frames 6 and I of the units 2 and 3 are secured upon an angle member I5 extending the length of the film treating machine which rests on a ledge at the upper rear surface of the tank. A second angle member I6, also secured to each of the sections 6 and I, is provided above the angle I5.

The film I1 is fed from a supply reel I8 which is journaled within a bracket I9 extending from a wall 20 provided on the left side of the film.

treating machine. The film I I is passed through an opening 2| within the wall 20 and is'led over a. driven film spool'22, thence, under a lower film spool head 23 and over an upper film spool head 24 in a helical fashion. The film I1 is then led over a pair of driven spools '25 and 26 from whence it is passed around the lower film spool head 21 and upper film spool head 28 of the section I. In passing from one tank to another, 1. e. 4 to 5, the film I1 is passed over a second pair of driven film spools 29 and 30.

Referring now to Fig. 3, the. upper spool heads 24 and 28 are provided with driven shafts 32 and 32. Each of the shafts 32 and 33 extends within housings 34 and 35 provided'at the ends thereof, and is journaled-within ball bearings 36 and 31 mounted within the housings 34 and 35. Bearing caps 38 and 39 are provided on either side of the housing 34 and have lubricant seals 40 and 4| therein to retain the lubricant supplied to the bearing 36. An end cap 43 is provided on one side of the housing 35 and has a lubricant seal 44 therein. A series of film spools 45 to 5|, inclusive, is provided upon each of the shafts 32 and 33. Each of thesefilm spools is formed of fiber or bakelite and is mounted upon ball bearings 52 and 52', the inner races 53 and 54 of which are slidable along the shaft 33. Friction disks 55, also of fiber or bakelite, are placed between theadjacent ends of each of the film spools 45 to 5|, inclusive. A sleeve 56 is secured to the shaft 33 adjacent the left end of the film spool 45. A set screw 51- is provid d t9 Clamp the sleeve 56.

As was stated before, one of the features of this invention is to selectively engage or disengage the various film spools 45 to 5|, inclusive, with the shaft 33. This is accomplished by the clutch mechanism generally indicated at 59 (Figs. 3 and 7). An enlarged cap 60 is secured to the outer end of the housing 35 as by screws 6| and has a pair of transversely extend ng bearings 62 and 63 having a stub shaft 64 journaled therein. One end of the shaft 64 extends externally of the cap 60 and is provided with an arm 65 rigidly secured thereto. Ann 65 is adapted to be engaged by an adjusting screw 66 threadably mounted within a boss 61 formed integrally with the housing 35. A second arm 69 is provided on the shaft 64 intermediate the bearings 62 and 53, and is secured thereto by a pin I0. Arm 69 engages a plunger II loosely mounted within a bore formed within the right end of the shaft 33. Plunger 1| engages a second plunger I3 through a ball bearing I4 provided therebetween. A compression spring I5 is provided between the end of the plunger I3 and the inner end of the bore 12. A cross pin I6 passes through the plunger I3 and'is adapted to slide within diametrically opposed slots II formed longitudinally within the shaft 33; The outer ends of the pin I6 are mounted within a ring I9 slidable upon the shaft 33. The ring I9 is seated within a counterbore formed in the spool 5|. When the spools 45 to 5| inclusive, are to be driven by the shaft 33, the screw 66 is rotated causing the arm 69 to fqrce the plunger II and 13 inwardly and thus forcing the ring I9 in the same direction. This will cause the spool 5| to be forced into drivingengagement with the other spools 45 to 50 through the friction disks 55. Ordinarily under operating conditions, the friction between each of the rollers 45 to 5|, inclusive, is so adjusted that a slight slippage may occur to compensate for the stretch of the film while passing through the chemical solution.

Referring now to Figs. 3, 5, and 8, I will describe the film driving mechanism. Situated between the vertical guide member 9 of the section 6 and the guide member I0 of the section I, I pro vide a gear box 8|. The main casting 82 of the gear box 8| has a bracket 83 at its upper end which is attached by bolts 84 to a cross Piece 85 extending between the members 9 and I0. Bolts 86 and 81 secure the cross piece 85 to the members 9 and I0. The lower part of the casting 82 is secured by bolts 88 to the angle I5. A transversely extending shaft 89 is journaled within a ball bearing 90 mounted within a housing 9| formed in a forward portion of a cover piece 92. A bearing cap 93 is provided on the housing 9| to retain the bearing 90 in position. The shaft 89 is also journaled on a ball bearing 94 provided within the housing 95 formed on the casting 82; -A bearing cap 96 is provided and has a lubricant seal'91. A helical gear 98 is keyed at 99 to the forward end of the shaft 89 and meshes with a. similar gear I00 which is secured to a driving stub shaft ml by means of a key I02. Shaft IN is journaled at either side of the gear I00 by means of ball bearings I03 and |04 provided within housings I05 and I06 formed on the cover piece 92. End caps I01 and I08 are provided to retain the bearings I03 and I04 in position and to retain lubricant within the gear box 3|. Driving connection between the stub shaft IN and the spool shafts 32 and 33 is made through couplings I09 and H0. As shown in Fig.

6, each of the couplings I09 and H0 is comprised of a sleeve II2, keyed at II3 to the end of the shaft IN. The end of the sleeve II2 has a series of lugs H4, H5 and H6 formed thereon in quadrants. A disk H1 is rigidly mounted on the end of each of the spool shafts 32 and 33. Disk II1 has a pair of lugs I I8, I I9 and I which are similar to those formed on the sleeve II2. A dog I2I is slidably mounted on the end of each of the shafts 32 and 33 .and has projections I23 and I24 formed thereon which are adapted to mesh between the projections H4, H5, H6, H8, H9, and I20. A compression spring I25 is fitted over the shafts 32 and 33 and seats at one end upon the back of the dog I2I. The other end of the spring I25 engages a washer I26 secured on each of the shafts 32 or 33. In order to disengage the driven shaft I0! from either of the shafts 32 or 33, for a purpose set forth hereinafter, the dog I2I is pressed backward against the action of the casting 82. Gear I28 meshes at its lower end with a pair of driven gears I3I which are keyed to spool shafts I32 and I33 of the film driving spools 25 and 26. Shafts I32 and I33 are journaled in ball bearings I34 and I provided on either side of the gears I3I. Bearing I35 is mounted in an annulus I36 formed in the back face of the casting 82. Bearing I34 is mounted within a sleeve member I31 provided in the forward wall of the casting 82. An end cap I38 is mounted adjacent the bearing I34 to hold the assembly in place and to retain the lubricant within the gear box 8|. Although both of the film spools 25 and 26 are driven,,only one of these (26) is provided with sprocket teeth I40 to positively drive the film I1 between the two sections 6 and 1.

A helical gear.I4I is keyed at I42 to the rear end of the transverse shaft 89 (Figs. 5 and 8) and meshes with a second helical gear I43 which is keyed as at I 43' to a main drive shaft I44 extending the entire length of the film treating machine I. Driveshaft I44 is journaled within bearings I45, I46, I41, etc., and is driven by a motor I48 through a worm gear arrangement I49. The driven film spool 22 which draws the film I1 from the supply reel I8 is mounted upon a shaft I50, journaled within a bearing I5I. A bevel gear I52 is securely mounted upon the shaft I and meshes with a similar'gear I53 securely mounted upon the drive shaft I44. The film spools 29 and 30 situated between the tanks 4. and 5 are also driven through bevel gear arrangements I54 and I55.

Referring again to Fig. 3, the bearing housings 34 and 35 are formed integrally upon vertical slide members I56 and I51. Slots I58 and I59 (Figs. '1 and 9) are provided along the slides I58 and I51 which serve as guides adapted to slide along the outwardly extending portions I60 and IN 0f the guide members 8 and 9 or I0 and.

Clamping screws I63 and I64.are threadably mounted within bosses I65 and I66 formedintegrally with the upper surfaces of the housings 34 and 35. Clamps I61 and I68 are formed at the upper ends of the slides, I56 and I51 to hold a stationary shaft I69. Rollers I10, "I, and I12 (Figs. 1 and 3) are mounted directly above the spools 45, 48, 5|, respectively. These rollers I10 and I12 are similar to the spools 45 to 5I and are prevented from movement longitudinally of the shaft I69 by any suitable means such as pins I13 and I14 passing through the shaft I69 at either sidethereof. Instead of passing around the upper surfaces of the spools 45, 48 and 5I the film is looped over the upper spools I18, Ill

and I12. I

Referring now to Figs. 1, 3, 9, and l0, suction devices I16, I11, and I18 are applied to each of the film strands passing to the upper film spools I10, HI, and I12. A cross piece I is attached at its ends to the slides I56 and I51 by bolts I8I and I82. Brackets I83 are secured to the cross piece I80 by bolts I84 and have apertures at their upper ends to receive the suction devices I16, I11, and I18. Each of these suction devices is comprised of an L-shaped tubing I86. The longer leg of the tubing I86 is slidably received within the aperture of the bracket I83 and is clamped in position by a set screw I81 threadably mounted within the bracket I83. The other leg of the tubing I86 has bosses I88 and I88 on its upper side and bosses I89 and I89 on its lower side. Slots I90 and I9I are provided on the upper and lower sides of the tubing I86 to receive the film I1 passing therethrough. .An end cap I93 is threadably mounted in the end of the shorter leg of the tubing I86 and is adapted to be removed for threading of the film. Rubber sealing pieces I94 are provided on each of the bosses I88, I88, I89, and I89'. Screws I95 pass A flexible rubber hose I98 is attached to each of the tublngs I86 by a clamp I99 and is attached at its other end 200 (Fig. 2) to a suction pipe 20I extending the length of the film treating machine.

As shown diagrammatically in Fig. 1, a suction pump 202 is coupled by means of a T connection 203 to the suction pipe 20I. A pipe 204 is provided to pass the spent portions of the solutions which are removed from the surface of the film into suitable scum tanks (not shown). Suction devices 205, similar to those of I16, I11, and I18, are placed between each of the solution tanks, i. e. 4 and 5, to prevent solution from one tank from being carriedover into the next succeeding tank and are connected by suitable hoses to the suction pipe 20I.

Referring now to Figs. 1, 2, and 11, the lower film spool heads 23 and 21 comprise a series of film spools 201 which are similar to the spools 45 to 5I, inclusive, of the upper spool heads 24. The spools 201 are mounted upon a shaft 208-which is secured at its ends within brackets 209 and 2 I 0. Brackets 209 and 2I0,are attached to vertically extending bars 2H and 2I2. Rollers 2.I3, 2, 2 I 5, and 2 I6 are journaled at the upper and lower ends of each of the pieces 2 and 2I2 and have grooves 2I1 therein which engage the extending portions I60 and I6I of the guide members 8 and 9 or I0 and II. Thus it will be seen that the lower spool head 23 or 21 may be allowed to assume any position along the guide members 8 and 9 or I0 and II to compensate for the stretch of the film I1 as it passes through the solution.

When suc- An indicator rod 2I8 is secured at its lower end in any suitable manner to the lower film spool head 23 or 21. The upper end of the indicator rod 2I8 is slidably mounted within a guide bearing 2! secured upon the angle piece I6 and has a scale 220 thereon to indicate the depth at which the spool head 23 or 27 is positioned.

The means for agitating the treating solution as illustrated in the accompanying drawings is 1 disclosed and claimed in a co-pending application of Albert W. Tondreau and Fred W. Gage, Serial No. 51,456, filed November 25, 1935. Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, an agitator shaft22l extends alongthe entire length of the machine and is driven through a worm gear arrangement 222 by a motor 223 shown as being mounted upon the wall 20 at the left hand end of the machine I, Cranks 224 are formed on the shaft 22I at each of the sections 6 and I. Connecting rods 225 are journaled at one end within the cranks 224 and at the other ends upon pins 226 provided in levers 221. Levers 221 are pivotally mounted at 228 upon supports 229 which also form bearings for the agitator shaft 22L Links 230 are pivotally supported at the forward ends of the lever 221 and support vertically extending agitator rods 23! and 232. A series of spaced paddles 233 is provided along the rods 23I and 232 to circulate the solution within each of the tanks 4, 5, etc.

Rods 23I and 232 are slidabiy mounted within bearings 234 at their upper ends which are secured to the upper angle I5. The lower ends of rods 23I and 232 are pivotally secured to the ends of levers 236. Levers 236 are pivoted at 231 upon brackets 238 supported on the cross pieces I4 of the frames 6 and I. The forward ends of levers 236 pivotally support agitator rods 240 having paddles 24I attached thereto similar to those of 233. The upper ends of the rods 240 areslidably mounted within bearings 243. Rotation of the agitator shaft 22I causes the paddles 233 and 2M to be reciprocated in opposite directions so as to cause a surging motion of the solution that tends to make it flow across the surfaces of the film I1 and thus wash off the spent portions of the developing or reacting solution.

In threading the film in the film treating machine I, the friction'adjusting screw 66 (Fig. 7) is rotated so as to allow each of the spools '45 to 5|, inclusive, to rotate freely upon the shafts 32 and 33. The clamp screws I63 and I64 are then loosened and the coupling I09 or III] is disengaged so as to allow the-entire spool head 24 or 28 to be raised upward a desired amount and clamped there by the screws I63 and I64 thus allowing the lower spool head 23 or 21 to be lifted up out of the solution tank 4. After the film has been threaded over the spool heads 23 and 24 or 21 and 28, the lower spool head is then dropped into the tank to a desired depth. The friction adjusting screw 66 is then rotated until the desired friction is provided between the shafts 32 and 33 and the spools to 51, inclusive.

Due to the fact that each of the units 2, 3, etc., of the film developing machine I is driven at a constant speed and at the same speed relative to each other the time required for treating the film within each of the tanks 4, 5, etc., is gov- .erned by the length of the film passing through each of the various tanks. The length of time for treating 'of the film may be determined on the scale 220 provided on the indicator rod 2I8 which shows the depth of the elevator 23 and consequently the length of filmin any of the various tanks at a given moment. When it is desired to change the length of time for treating of the film in any of the tanks 4, 5, etc., the screws 66 within the desired tanks are loosened to allow the spools 45 to 5|, inclusive, to rotate freely upon their shafts. The film may then be disengaged from the sprocket teeth of either of the spools 26 or 30 and may be taken up or let out a desired amount and may then be reengaged upon the spools 26 or 30. The adjusting screw 66 is then tightened to secure the desired friction between the upper film spools 45 to 5|, inclusive, and their driving shafts 32 and 33.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a photographic film treating apparatus, the combination of a. drive shaft, a clutch on said shaft, a plurality of film rollers on said shaft, means for engaging and disengaging said rollers with said shaft, and means for varying the degree of engagement of said rollers with said shaft and with each other.

2. A film treating apparatus comprising a drive shaft, film rollers on said shaft and adapted to drive a film thereon, and frictional means for engaging and disengaging said rollers with said shaft, said means also engaging and disengaging said. rollers with each other.

3. A film handling apparatus comprising rollers adapted to drive a film thereover, a shaft for said rollers, means for rotating said rollers, said means including frictional means interconnecting said rollers, and means for disconnecting said first mentioned means thereby allowing said rollers to rotate freely in relation to each other and said shaft.

4. A photographic film treating apparatus comprising the combination of drive rollers, said drive rollers being adapted to have a film wrapped therearound, a drive shaft, and means for frictionally engaging said shaft with said drive rollers and for varying the friction of said drive rollers relative to each other and to said shaft.

5. In a photographic film treating apparatus,

the combination of a set of drive rollers, there being a film wrapped around said drive rollers, means for frictionally driving said rollers, said means including frictional surfaces interposed between and at the ends of said rollers and means movable longitudinally of the axis of said rollers for varying the driving friction applied to said rollers.

6. In a photographic film treating apparatus, the combination of a drive shaft, drive rollers freely mounted on said shaft, there being a-film 'wrapped around said drive rollers, means on said tank, upper and lower spool heads individually movable along said guides, a driving shaftpositioned above said tank, and means for/holding said upper spool head in alignment with said driving shaft and for disconnecting said head from said shaft whereby said head is adapted to be moved along said guides;

8. A film treating apparatus comprising in combination, a tank adapted to contain a film treating liquid, stationary upright guides in said tank, a lower spool head normally below the liquid level of said tank and movable along said guides, an upper spool head normally secured to said guidesabove the liquid level of said tank and independent of said lower spool head, and means for allowing said upper spool head to be raised suificiently along said guides to allow said lower spool head to ,be independently raised along said guides above the liquid level ot said tank.

9. A film treating apparatus comprising in combination, a tank adapted to contain a fllm treating liquid, stationary upright guides in said tank, upper and lower spool heads independently movable along said guides, a driving shaft above the liquid level of said tank, said upper spool head being normally secured in alignment with said driving shaft, and a coupling between said shaft and said upper spool .head whereby said upper spool head may be separately raised to allow said lower spool head to be raised above the liquid level of said tank independently of said upper spool head.

10. A film treating apparatus comprising the combination of stationary guides, a pair of spool heads adapted to have a film wrapped therearound, said spool heads being independently combination, a tank adapted to contain a iilm treating liquid, a lower spool head having a plurality of individually rotatable film rollers, an upper spool head having a plurality oifllm rollers adapted to be driven irictionally at the ends thereof, a shaft passing through said rollers and means at the ends of said rollers for adjusting the engagement of said rollers with one another and with said driving means-said adjustment being adapted to 2e made during passage of fllm through said tan ,1

12. A film treating apparatus comprising in combination, a tank adapted to contain a dim treating liquid, stationary upright guides in said tank, a lower spool head normally below the liquid in said tank and movable along said guides. an

upper spool head normally securedto said guides above the liquid level of said tankand independent of said lower spool head, a plurality of 0015 on said upper spool head adapted to ire/driven.

frictionally at the endsthereof, means for frictionally driving all of said spool heads, means means for allowing said upper spool head to be raised sumciently alongsaid guides whereby said 

